Gozreh
Gozreh (pronounced GOHZ-ray) is a dualistic deity of nature, a god of the storm and sky and also a goddess of the wave and surf. Born of the ocean's fury and the wind's wrath, Gozreh is a fickle deity. Appearance Gozreh appears as a colossal humanoid (often of Mwangi ethnicity) whose lower body trails away into a mass of roiling elemental matter, but whose gender is dependent on his aspect. Her female form is associated with the sea, and appears as a young and beautiful woman with wild green hair whose torso merges with the roiling sea. His male half represents the winds and clouds, and appears as a weathered old man with a long white beard whose lower body melds into a storm cloud. Images of Gozreh typically present his two forms reaching up from the sea and down from the heavens to touch one another in midair. Providence Gozreh shows his favor by the sudden appearance of a gentle breeze that carries with it the smell of blooming flowers, the unexpected sound of waves crashing on a shore, or dreams involving a specific, and unusual-looking animal. His displeasure is seen in the sudden appearance of extremely localized storms or other bad weather, being watched or hounded by birds or beasts, or the continuous taste of blood in one's mouth. Servants Nature and all its creatures are considered to be Gozreh's domain, but he favors seabirds, flying fish, and frogs. Xocothians are Gozreh's race of divine servitors. These dualistic outsiders resemble a combination of seabird and flying fish. Church of Gozreh Worshipers Gozreh is worshiped wherever nature is feared or held in high esteem. Clergy Priests of Gozreh are rugged folk and many are hermits. Men are expected to have long beards and women long hair. Seaweed, natural items, and strands of white cloth are often braided into the hair of the faithful. Formal raiment is usually long robes of sea-green, storm-grey, or sky blue color, decorated with coral or pearls. Although most druids in the Inner Sea region are followers of the Green Faith, a significant minority of them worship Gozreh instead. Temples and shrines Temples of Gozreh are always open to the sky and often contain some sort of pool or open water at the heart. They often appear in out-of-the-way places and are typically built using only slightly worked local materials, such as driftwood and unquarried stone. Services and occasions vary from temple to temple, though most ceremonies involve offerings, prayers, and chanting. Some temples venerate either his male or female forms and portfolio, while churches in port cities most often worship both at once. Holy texts Gozreh's texts are typically guides to natural life, almanacs of tides and such things, interspersed with chants and prayers and suggested offerings to the fickle deity.[citation needed] ; Hymns to the Winds and Waves or Hymns to the Wind and the Waves : This book includes susurrant prayers, rules for personal behavior, and the respect of nature. Favored animals Gods are often associated with certain animals, either because they possess a quality favored by the god, or because the god's faithful feel a special kinship to them. Unlike the other gods who only favor certain animals, Gozreh favors all of them.